Why Monster Storm 'Juno' Will Be So Snowy

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East Coast folks: Stock up on munchies, get those prescriptions
filled and get ready to hunker down for the next day or two.

A huge
nor'easter, dubbed Juno, is expected to batter the East Coast
starting tonight (Jan. 26). The corridor from New York to Boston
is expected to get between 1- 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 meters) of snow,
with some areas potentially receiving up to 3 feet (0.9 meters)
of snow. In addition, winds will gust up to 60 to 70 miles per
hour (96 to 113 km/h) in some places along the coast, making this
a dangerous blizzard, said Patrick Burke, a meteorologist with
the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center.

The monster snowstorm is occurring because of a perfect
confluence of factors, including a low-pressure system that is
traveling just the right path along the coast, Burke said.
[ The
10 Worst Blizzards in U.S. History ]

Nor'easters

The Northeast gets some of the largest winter storms in the
world, which occur when the frigid air blowing across the North
American continent collides with the balmier breezes over the
Atlantic Ocean. In particular, a process called
bombogenesis, where air pressure drops by about 24 milibars or
more in a 24-hour period, can produce intense storms, or "bombs,"
like Juno.

"Where the two meet you can get this explosive development of low
pressure, which must mean that the low pressure is deepening very
rapidly," Burke told Live Science.

That, in turn, allows the air low in the atmosphere to rise. As
rising air cools, moisture condenses out as either rain or snow,
Burke said. The
low-pressure systems in the region also tend to create strong
northeasterly winds — hence the name nor'easter, Burke said.

In the case of
Juno, which is expected to hit this afternoon and continue
until tomorrow afternoon (Jan. 27), conditions are perfect for a
heavy snowfall and blustery winds.

At this time of year, the air over the continent is already quite
cold, creating a large contrast with the warmer coastal air and
providing a quickly developing low-pressure system. These
conditions also ensure that all the precipitation will land in
the form of snow, rather than the wintry mix of rain and snow
that is more typical for the region, Burke said.

In addition, this
snowstorm is likely to follow just the right trajectory at
just the right time to create lots and lots of snow, with the
coastal-low pressure front expected to develop a little more
inland than is typical, Burke said.

Staying safe

This storm is a blizzard,
or a snowstorm where wind gusts frequently reach 35 miles per
hour (56 km/h) and visibility is reduced to less than 0.25 miles
(0.4 km).

"A heavy snowfall can actually be kind of a pretty thing to watch
but when you include all this strong wind, then it becomes very
dangerous and life threatening," Burke said. "Your visibility is
reduced to near-zero."

People caught in those conditions can quickly lose their way,
become disoriented and freeze to death, Burke said.

People in affected areas should make sure to stock up on
provisions, fill their prescriptions, and be prepared to sit
tight in their houses for the next day or two, Burke said. Then,
once the snow settles, they can enjoy the winter wonderland.

One way to reduce the hassle after the storm is to clear the
driveway of obstacles (such as cars) that will create giant
snowdrifts. People can also reduce their after-blizzard work by
letting wind carry snow into a neighbor's yard before taking out
the shovel, Ryan Maue, a meteorologist at Florida State
University, said via
Twitter.